An Elgin advertisement in 1928 claimed there were more than 14,418 retail jewelers in the United States, and all but 12 of them carried Elgins.ĭuring the '40s and '50s, Elgin not only dominated the United States market, but held a stronghold in Mexico and Latin America. The company produced more than half the watches made in America (both wrist and pocket) from 1920 through 1928. In 1920, wrist watches comprised 48% of Elgin's output (compared with 4% for Hamilton and 28% for Waltham). But what many people may not know is that Elgin led the way in wrist watch production during the 1920s, while other American makers continued to treat wrist watches as a sideline to pocket watches. Elgin made its first railroad pocket watch in 1867 and its last in 1965, just shy of a century. It had a long and illustrious history as a manufacturer of pocket watches, and the company's railroad-approved pocket watches continue to be classic collectibles.
Originally known as the National Watch Co., it was founded by former employees of Waltham who felt that a watch factory in the nation's Midwest would be beneficial in distributing goods to America's rapidly expanding West.
in August of 1864, the Elgin Watch Company grew to be the most prolific of American watch manufacturers.
FOUND INSIDE ANTIQUE ELGIN WATCH G218874 SERIAL NUMBER
To identify Elgin pocket watches, look for the serial number in the movement as well as on the serial number lookup online.Click here for Elgin timepieces currently for sale.įounded in Elgin, Ill. Most Elgin pocket watches are called railroad pocket watches as they are designed following railroad industry standards. Having ceased manufacture in 1968, today, antique and vintage Elgin pocket watch values continue to rise on the collectors' market depending on the year and material used for manufacturing and can be a valuable addition to anyone’s watch collection. From pocket watches, the company switched to wristwatches, decorative clocks, and wedding rings following the war. The possibility of repairing the timepieces easily without requiring specialized skills has made the watches the most sought-after for collectors even today.ĭuring World War II, their production facilities discontinued civilian manufacturing and were temporarily busy making military watches, chronometers, speedometers, and altimeters, among others. That brilliant idea, along with stem-winding mechanisms, a novelty of that time when compared to the conventional key-wind mechanisms, made it possible for the Elgin watches to be more accessible to a wider number of buyers in the vast middle-ground of the American watch market. To create less expensive but elegant and innovative timepieces, Elgin endeavored to mass-produce high-quality pocket watches by assembling machine-made interchangeable parts for repair when needed. Embracing the Art Deco style of the 1920s and early ‘30s in its design and stylized in Arabic-type numerals, Elgin watches soon were in high demand among fashion-conscious of the period, and are highly coveted even today at watch auction. The timepieces were not only known for their accuracy but were not affected in varying climates. Initially, the watches created were extravagant but stylish pieces, some of which were made of gold cases. Elgin Pocket Watch – A Brief Historyįounded in 1864, the Elgin Watch Company, the manufacturer of this brand of pocket watches was one of the largest watchmakers in the US for over a century, ceasing production in 1968. As an iconic American watch brand of all time, the vintage and antique Elgin pocket watches are among the most cherished timepieces in the world, offering amazing value on the Bidsquare online auctions. Built with incredible precision, the Elgin pocket watch is perennially popular among watch enthusiasts and collectors, valued for its exquisite craftsmanship, finishes, excellent materials, jeweled movements, and a fine selection of intricate designs.
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